Tennis - U.S. Open - Flushing Meadows, New York, United States - August 31, 2025 Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka celebrates winning her fourth round match against Spain's Cristina Bucsa REUTERS/Kylie Cooper
NEW YORK (Reuters) -Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka thumped unseeded Spaniard Cristina Bucsa 6-1 6-4 on Sunday to seal her return to the U.S. Open quarter-finals, ramping up her bid for a first Grand Slam title this year after defeats in two major finals.
The world number one, beaten in both the Australian and French Open finals, enjoyed her most comfortable win in New York this year as she inched closer to becoming the first woman since Serena Williams (2012-14) to win consecutive U.S. Open titles.
